Rohit Sharma has admit that the number 4 batting position continues to be an unsolvable enigma for the team.The batting position number 4 in Indian cricket team has been vacant for a long time. Not because there are no players who can adapt to this number but the consistency has been the issue which has led the selectors to keep making experiments at such a crucial position.
The search has been long and a number of players have been tried yet the significant result hasn’t been achieved. With less than two months remaining until the Cricket World Cup, Rohit Sharma accepted that India is still grappling with unresolved issues regarding the No.4 spot in ODIs.
The captain expressed his concerns about this crucial position, stating that no player has been able to establish themselves there since Yuvraj Singh. This topic was a subject of intense debate prior to the previous World Cup in England as well. Rohit Sharma admitted during a La Liga event in Mumbai that No.4 has been a persistent problem for the team, but mentioned that Shreyas Iyer has performed well in that position.
“For a long period of time, Shreyas (Iyer) has actually batted at No. 4 and he has done well — his numbers are really good. Unfortunately, injuries have given him a bit of trouble; he has been out for a while and that is honestly what has happened in the last 4-5 years. A lot of these guys have got injured and you will always see a new guy coming and playing there,” Rohit Sharma said.
Rohit Sharma also mentioned that India has experimented with different players due to these injuries and unavailability, resulting in a high turnover rate for the No.4 position. Since the end of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, India has used 11 different players at No.4 in ODIs, with only Iyer and Rishabh Pant receiving significant opportunities.
However, Pant is currently ruled out of the World Cup due to injury while Iyer is yet to return from a back injury. The captain acknowledged that several players have come and gone due to injuries or loss of form, further complicating their search for stability at No.4.
Shreyas and KL are making a comeback after a long break due to injuries and surgeries. Rohit Sharma, who himself has experienced the challenges of recovering from surgery, empathizes with their situation. There will be some difficulties they might face in getting back into form and hopes to see how they respond to the game.
During the conversation, Rohit emphasized that no player, including himself, is guaranteed a spot in the upcoming tournament. The selection meeting for the Asia Cup is scheduled in a few days, and every player will have to prove their worth. With the World Cup on the horizon, it is crucial to find the right combination of players for both tournaments.
Asia Cup 2023 will be a huge platform for the new players to fix their spot in the team. Hoping that Rahul and Iyer recover in time for the team, Rohit Sharma said:
We will see, we want to win but at the same time there are a lot of questions that we need answers of. But in the Asia Cup, I want to see some of the guys batting under pressure against quality teams. I still want to see those things, so we will wait and see what happens, but it is always nice to have a lot of names, rather than just one or two names. I hope they are fit in time – firstly that is the most important.
